THE WAR IN SOUTH AFRICA.

Lyttelton Times, Volume CIII, Issue 12158, 23 March 1900, Page 5

THE WAR IN SOUTH AFRICA.

THE WHITE FLAG AND EXPANDING BULLETS.

LORD ROBERTS’S ACCUSA-.

TIONS.

PRESIDENT STEIN’S REPLY,,

A SERIES OF COUNTER CHANGES. STEIN’S RIDICULOUS IMPUTATIONS. THE CORRESPONDENCE CLOSED. United Press Association—By Eleotrio Telegraph—Copyright. LONDON, March 21, President Steyn, replying to Lore! Roberts’s telegram protesting against the misuse of the -white flag, notably by Delaney's commando at Osfontein, and the ' use of explosive bullets, declares that Lord! Roberts must have been mistaken. He say« Commandant Delaney, denied the allegation. President Steyn give® several instances in which he alleges the British themselves misused the white flag. With regard to explosive bullets, President Steyr, stated that they were neither purchased by 1 ( the Republics, nor their use allowed, but a quantity of Lee-Metford Dum-dums had. been taken from the British. He adds that Delarey declared that when within fifty yards of the Boers at Osfontein, a party oi British on one occasion raised their hands, and showed the white flag. The British, artiHery at once turned on the men -who wished to surrender, compelling them to resume their charge on the Boers. Similarly at Spionkop, while the burghers were disarming a corps who hoisted a flag of truce, and raised their hands, another section of the British volleyed at both their surrendering comrades and the Boers, and 1 some were billed. Again, it was reported that at the last battle on the Tugela River the ■ British artillery opened fire on a body of their own troops which desired to surrender.

Lord Roberts, commenting on these statements, declares that inquiries have proved that Steyn’s allegations were ' unfounded. As he himself saw what Steyn denies, he thinks it undesirable to continue the correspondence. A BLOEMFONTEIN POLICE FORCELONDON, March ‘2l. A corps of young Boers has been organised at Bloemfontein for police work to prevent the Kaffirs looting.

CASUALTIES AMONG THE COLONIALS.

LONDON, March 21.

A son of Mr Justice Rodgers was severely wounded at Spionkop. At the War Office it is believed that he died a prisoner. The following additional casualties are reported at the battle of OsfonteinNewSouth Wales—Mounted Infantry Lieutenant Holborow, Corporal Monro and Privates Rice and Bathurst slightly wounded; Queensland —Mounted Infantry Private Avis slightly wounded.

NEW ZEALAND’S OFFER OF SUPPORT. LONDON, March 21. The “ Times ” eulogises the spirit of Mr Seddon’s proffer of support in the determination of Lord Salisbury to crush a retrograde oligarchy. LONDON, March 22, N The “ Telegraph ” says that Mr Seddon J s message is a political document of the first importance. As an ultimatum to the local attempt to disintegrate, frofn, New Zealand comes the answer. The “Standard,’’ “Daily News,” “Post” and other-papers pay tributes to the colonies’ splendid loyalty, entitling them to the fullest expression of an undivided empire’s appreciation. ,

THE TASMANIAN PRISONERS. HOBART, March 22. The Government has forwarded £SO to the American Consul at Pretoria to purchase comforts for the Tasmanian prisoners.

THE PRESENT POSITION.

OPINIONS OF AN EX-MILITARY

OFFICER.

(By RHAMABIDIKWL) ■' NOTES. Careful readers of the cable news will have noted that, beyond the controversy as tb the misuse of the white flag and the various other barbarities comstituting flagrant breaches of the recognised ethics and canons of warfare, by the Federal Boers 'and colonial rebels, there wag not one single item of fresh news published in yesterday’s issues of the papers. The controversy pe-.r ferred to, it would be remembered, was most impudently commenced by Presidents Btcyn and Kruger, whose followers had been in every case the wilful offenders,, and they actually had the effrontery to send -a long complaint to Lord Roberto, .charging British troops with the very barbarities that their. own men had been flagrantly guilty -of. Lord Roberts’s reply to this remarkable (document was fair and moderate in the extreme. ■ After a few days, in which he had had ample time to verify the reports he had heard, hud the misstatements of the arch - comp i ra to rs, and after personal observation in several ten-; gagements. to -satMy himself of the trickery and treachery of the Boer .combatant?. Lord ■ Roberts not only very fully refuted all that ‘ the Presidents had-said, but dearly demote- ■ strated that the boot was on the rather foot, ’ Without traversing the whole of President Steyn’s reply, which readers will doubtless have digested from the telegraph, it is suffi-; cient to say that he reiterated the Tying statements of which he had been .previously guilty, and Lord Roberts, in summing lip these statements, simply declared that ■inquiries had proved that Steyn’s and Krlureiis allegations were (unfounded, ■which in plainer language, means that they ape impudent fabrications and are utterly false,

i ! M Lord .Roberts himself, on several occai uoqb,. sa»w. .with Lis own eyes what Steyn denies. - -He .thereupon courteously informed the Presidents that he, thinks it undesirable to continue .the' correspondence. All_read«rs .trill agree, incoiisidaring that the Steyn- . Kruger protest ..to Lord Roberts may _well bo described as an excellent example of oataa- .reproving sin. _ ■ , ■ The further‘details so far'to haxd of Lord ~ Kitchener’s.' success !-at- althopg satisfactory in a way, show that excellent work put in by his column was in a great measure , robbed of legitimate oy- the flight of the main, body of the rebels ms we are told that he took only 53 prisoners, 200 stands of arms, and a quantity of supplies'of explosives, the Transvaalers, . who evidently-had been the backbone of tins rising, making, good their escape across the Orange River northward into Gnqualand West.- - -This body' of- Boere will mos^probr *bly,retii* in a north-elsterlyi^irecbion,along the bank of the Ompge River, and join their comrades at fourteen. Streams or further north. Whether the larger number of the , colonial' -Dutch retired with the Transvaal* erg, or made a line .due west towards Kenhardt is, of course, uncertain. In the Rree, State, • the bulk of the troops mte practically'having a well-earned rest after the tremendously hard work they did previous to the'capture of , Bloemfontein, and until Lord Roberts has completed his plawi fop. renerwing his forward .movement, waders'' heed j hot "'expect to receive much in the ; way of fresh news-from this quarter. The announcement that the enemy is mmanSeHng-ia .Basutoland seems to incUcate that its endeavour to escape along the eastern border of the Free State past Ladybrand, as mentioned in yesterday’s article would ’be .probable, -had been frustrated.; • As. long as the Boers are captured and compelled to lay down their arms, it. is 'Justus; satisfactory tHat-'ttosy -should surrender jxi. Basutoland as in the Free State, and, . moreover, it is. a valuable object festin, to the Basutcw, which will- not be lost on those, astute natives. " ’ - General Gatacre, we may depend, is_ stiU pushing forward from Springfontem junction, and carrying out the work_ of ®- arming, and pacifying the south-eastern districts between Smitbfield and Wepener, while Brigadier-General Brabant is diligently pursuing the same tactics at Rouxville, a little further south. 1 , . . Lord Roberts, in addition to showing his elev« . generalship, is also demonstrating fcis astuteness as a diplomatist. We are told that a corps of young Boers-has been enranised at Bloemfontein for police w-qrk, *o*prwent the Kaffirs looting. To entrust Boers generally with any such work, tle writer should hardly think' a wuseniove, aa it would be placing too much power in tbeir hands; _ u there is'no doubt that this force is. being selected most carefully from, amongst the more moderate and trustworthy of the tree State burghers. 1 The numbers also constituting this force will most probably be not great,.and:the object to be gained would be,-to..restore confidence amongst the burghers .generally and create the impression that Lord.. Roberts is quite prepared to trust a. certain amount of power and authority to them'- While attaining this-object, it suer ' ■ cessfully does away with any excuse, the bulk of the burghers might have for demurring about giving up their arms. General and complete disarmament for the time being is an absolute necessity, and General Roberts evidently recognises this and: is - doing it in a tactful and diplomatic manner, calculated.to attain thp object with the least possible friction and offence to the defeated burghers:' v..,’ . •... tt ’.As clearly demonstrating the .spirit which actuates'the more-enlightened-of the iuativeSj and their sympathy with and preference for, British rule, the writer has culled lrcm : aTate number ef the “Ca.pe Times the following interesting little item: —“ A striking contribution to the Volunteer Relief Fund is biie by the natives in the Indwe district of Natal. It is sent from nine tribes through their respective chiefs, by_ whom the movement was: ’spontaneously ini|J|t<Sa. The' tQtal airioinit is £3673.'; This tengyile ■ ' IndScatidn bf Ibyalty has caused great gratification here. The subscriptions for the fond ’in-’money and kind continue to Come . jn." , . r -v In striking contrast to the mendacious-and nt*erly ( 'disloyal attitude of that meretricious humbug, Stead, of the “ Review of Reviews,” and a small coterie of English Boer sympathisers, who profess to believe in the injustice of this war and tbs holiness of the B bet cause, is the opinion of a large, body of Wesleyan ministers composing the Synod " e { the Natal district. This is all the more valuable,, as a truthful estimate and Judgimaifc bn the question, from the' fact that, in’the Wesleyan "Church the plan of changing the ministers, to different localities every three years or so, and of exchanging men with the .Transvaal and Cape Colony districts occasionally, gives these clergymen an excellent opportunity of arriving at a truthful -.opinion on. all matters of public interest that may be agitating the community. The Natal Synod, which met at 'Durban on Feb. 9, adopted a resolution declaring its full conviction that the war ds a just and righteous one. The following motion was also adopted: —‘ ‘ The Synod records its admiration of the unsurpassed bravery shown in battle by her Majesty’s farces, both regulars and volunteers, and- views with deep thankfulness the loyal from all parts of the British; •jjmpire-i ■ Ittrusts' that by the' blessing of Almighty God success will bo vouchsafed to :M»jesty’s arms and peace speedily restart cd; Further,, the Synod" is convinced that the settlement to be finally imade, if it is to be lasting, must provide for the supremacy of the British Grown throughout the whole of South Africa andrfdr the govern-: jnriit' bif all parts of the country of the of British freedom and' justice.” IHE FOURTH COSITOm. " : [Pek Press Association.] ' DUNEDIN, March 22. .'/To-day was'a busy Ray for the Fourth Ckmtiagent. Sixteen officers and 396 men paraded’for inspection at 9 a.m. by Colonel Penfoa, and were afterwards reviewed By the Governor, who was escorted to the £foudd r by a’ detachoaent of Otago Hussars, ord Ranfurly informed the Commandant td»at he was highly pleased with what he »iW, Gdonel Renton thanked the officers of the camp for the zeal shown in bringJjig the men Up to the present high state oi emoifehey. Luncheon, was given by the Organising (Jonaoittee to the Fourth and Fifth ContingMft, ip ag, jfohexe of the. Agricultural Hall, gerven tables were laid. The Governor oc-

ettpiscLthe place of honour, and besides the mambers ol tbe .Qrganising Committee tb«re Teere'j)resent tbe Hon J. MTCenzie and •Hon X G.'Ward, the ,Mayor, Colonels Penton, Collins and Francis, and members of •Parliament. The toasts of the Queen and ■ tbe .Governor were cordially. received. His EfcceHency made :a vigorous and patriotic ieply. Referring, to the St Patrick’s Day oifebrations his Excellency said that he had Woeived the following cablegram from the Secretary of State'lor the Colonies“ The Queen commands me to cordially thank the Irishmen 1 of Dunedin and district for'their Itind .and loyal message, which has given her -. Majesty much pleasure.” (Loud applause.) The Hon J. M’Kenzie, in propoeing the toast of the “Fourth and Fifth Contingents,” said that he was quite prepared to bear the people of South Africa •ay that we 'bad kept our best to the last. Oaohel'Francis suitably replied. The Hon ■ J. G. Ward proposed the toast of the •honorary officers and referred to the work which had been done by those who had '.looked after the camp and trained the Contingent. The singing of the National Anthem concluded tW proceedings. The parade of men of the Fourth, Gon- ' tihgent through the principal streets of . the city this afternoon on their way to the garden party at Mr Glendining’s gardens, • North-east Valley, attracted much attention;" The public turned out. in. enormous .numbers, and for two miles and a half ’’Pfincess and George Streets were lined, ‘while in the main part of the city every clow and almost every roof which comEnded a view:, of tlhe route had- its crowd. m w*s « gqod(’<fcpl»yp.of banting.. ■ Ex- 1

cept about the business centre the crowds were composed.mainly of women, and children. Many offices not on the line ,of route closed for an hour to see the parade. About 300 of the Contingent, fully equipped, and carrying carbines, took part in the parade and march, walking, trotting and cantering their ■ horses. They were heartily cheered throughout. Ou arriving at Mr Glendining’s the men were entertained at tea, but as the luncheon had encroached on their time their stay was brief. On their return there were still large crowds.

A special train will leave Christchurch for Dunedin at 7.50 p.m. to-day to convey the volunteers and others who wish to be present at the “ send-off ” to the Fourth Contingent. The volunteers will muster at the,Drillshed at 7.15 p.m., and will inarch to the station., A fatigue party went down yesterday with tents, etc., and these will be pitched as near the town as possible for the convenience of the Canterbury volunteers.. ..

THE FIETH CONTINGENT.

THE CAMP AT ADDINGTON,

At the first parade yesterday morning a squad was taken by Captain Lindsay at extended order drill,- and Camp-Sergeant-Major Coleman took a squad at manual and firing exercise. ’ At the 9.30 parade Sergeant-Major Coleman instructed the men remaining in camp in manual and firing exercises. At the afternoon camp Sergeant-Major Coleman gave the men further instructions in firing and manual exercises. Major Wright was in charge of the ten men who took • thirty horses .to Lyttelton yesterday. The animals had been shipped; before, the telegram' countermanding. their shipment was received. The men and. horses returned to camp, at a late.,hour: last 'night. : > Mi- H. D. Buchanan yesterday examined fifteen horses belonging to troopers, but was able to, pass only one. , The Wilson’s Road Contingent visited the camp yesterday afternoon, and handed over to Lieutenant-Colonel Slater the sum of £1 14s, which had been collected by them in two days. They had dinner with the men. Camp-Sergeant-Major Coleman dhas received from individual troopers tokens of their appreciation of his efforts to make them perfect in their drill.

Some confusion has arisen in connection with the'sending away of the Canterbury portion of the Fifth Contingent. Yesterday afternoon thirty horses, in charge of ten men, were sent away to Lyttelton, to be shipped to Wellington by the Rotomahana last night,' and it had been arranged ■ that thirty men should .go with them, leaving only seventy in camp. Late in the afternoon, however, the officer com* manding the camp received instructions to send the whole . section by the- Maori on and the" men and horses were recalled from Lyttelton. It has now been decided to give the men a luncheon at the Opera House, on Tuesday, at which the Premier and other Ministers will be present, and the Demonstration Committee will meet at the City Council Chambers at 2 p!m. to-day to make the necessary arrangements. It is probable that the men ; will march from the Show Grounds to the luncheon, and will go straight:-from there to the Railway Station, to. entrain : for Lyttelton, to. join- the steamer Maori. , '; His Worship the (Mayor of ■ Christchurch has received, the,following communication from the Premier : —lt has been arranged that the Canterbury section of the Fifth Contingent will leave Christchurch - -oil Tuesday next, and .go to Wellington by the steamship Maori. The hour of departure Had better be fixed by your committee, and arrangements made accordingly. I have wired the commander of the forces, and in the meantime I think this information may assist you in completing arrangements.— R. J. SEDDON.

,'Xho War-Fund.Committee has -voted-the sum of £IOO towards the expenses of giving the Canterbury section of the Fifth Contingent a fitting “ send-off •’ bn their departure for Wellington on Tuesday. The arrangements have been placed in the hands of the Demonstration Committee which did such good work at the “ send-off ” to the Rough Riders. It is probable that the function will take the form of a luncheon at the Opera House;.

Lieutenant H. D. Buchanan, of the Canterbury Yeomanry Cavalry,-,who has been purchasing horses for the Government, yesterday received* a telegram from Staff-Cap-tain Owen instructing him to stop buying for the present.

[Per Press Association.] AUCKLAND, March 22

Fifty-seven men and twenty-four horses for the Fifth Contingent, under Captain Major and Lieutenant Potter; left Onehunga by the Mapourika at noon. They had a good “send off.” NEW PLYMOUTH, March 22. ,

Fifty men left Imre this morning for the camp of the Fifth Contingent.A great . crowd assembled at the railway station. The Mayor gave a short address, and the ■ band played patriotic tunes. The Auckland ; section- will be detained here until four, o’clock transhipping horses. WELLINGTON", March 22. Lieutenant Bailey, of Timaru, has been appointed to the Canterbury Company of ■ the Fifth Contingent. . THE GYMERIC. The s.s. Gymeric left for Port Chalmers shortly after 4 p.m. yesterday.- All day the' steamer presented a scene of bus tle and confusion. During the morning the Premier paid a_ivis.it to,- Captain Thomson, and was evidently very solicitous that no -effort be spared in order, to make the vessel, ready- ’Mr Daniels, repairs superintendent of. the Union Steamship Company, went on beard during the morning and was unremitting in his efforts to push the work forward. He put on every available man,: and the total number employed was at least a hundred. All these were hammering, sawing, and planing their hardest. There were, besides, gangs of lumpers engaged in stowing the forage, of which many tracks stood waiting on the wharf. Added to these were butchers, greengrocers and other purveyors of provisions bringing in supplies, and the decks were cumbered with impedimenta c.f ■many kinds, prominent among which was a big cooking range. The Gymeric has taken on board about 5000 sacks of oats, and is to return to Lyttelton early next week to receive a further quantity. FAREWELLS. The Waddington railway station presented quite a lively appearance oh Wednesday afternoon, when about 200 people assembled to bid “ good-bye ” to the members of the Fifth Contingent from the district. It was intended to give them a “ send-off ” this evening, but, thq idea had to be abandoned. . At the Mandevillfe;, Hotel last evening, a few friends met' and said- “ good-bye ” to

Trooper B. Johnson, who will leave with the Fifth Contingent.

SOLDIERS’ COMFORTS. Miss Cabot has received, through Mr Jennings, of Rangiora, a large parcel of handkerchiefs and linen for New Zealand soldiers in South Africa. The parcel its from the children of the Ashley Sunday School, and, together with another parcel, containing fifteen nightingales, has been sent to Mrs A. Bennetts, who is making a package for South Africa.

THE PATRIOTIC FUND. PALMERSTON NORTH, March 22,

A Patriotic Sports Meeting, held at Palmerston yesterday, was a great success, and over £IOO was taken at the gates. In the evening a concert was held, and the building was packed to the doors. The total amount raised) yesterday for the Patriotic Funds was about £2OO THE WAR FUND. The sum of 8s has been received for the Canterbury War Fund from Mr J. Ingram, of Oxford, proceeds of sale of a pig.

[Per Press Association.]

WELLINGTON, March 22.

At a meeting of the More Men Fund Committee, it was announced that about £2OO would be realised by the Brough Company’s matinee. The inclusion of this amount relieves the committee from any financial anxiety in connection with the dispatch of the Wellington section of the Fourth Contingent.